Andrea Rosal's newborn dies

by Rose Carmelle Lacuata, ABS-CBNnews.com

MANILA (UPDATE) -- The newborn baby of Andrea Rosal died on Sunday afternoon.

In an interview with Dr. Beng Reyes, secretary-general of Health Alliance For Democracy (HEAD), Rosal's daughter, Diona Andrea, experienced difficulty in breathing when she was born Saturday.

In a statement, Karapatan said baby Diona Andrea was brought to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) in Manila because she was suffering from oxygen deficiency in the blood.

According to reports gathered by Karapatan, she experienced premature contractions during detention.

The group added Rosal was experiencing uterine contractions since the evening of May 15, but she was brought back and forth from Camp Bagong Diwa and the PGH because Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) authorities said there were no available rooms for her.

She was on artificial respirator and also experienced seizures since her birth.

Reyes said Rosal was not able to undergo prenatal check-up, and she was not in good condition while she was still in prison.

Rosal is the daughter of the late New People's Army (NPA) spokesperson Gregorio ''Ka Roger'' Rosal. She was arrested last March 27 and was allowed to be confined at the PGH on Thursday.

She was finally admitted on the evening of May 16 and gave birth on the morning of May 17.

Reyes said the Rosal family plans to bury the baby in Batangas on Wednesday. The family hopes that Andrea will be allowed by the court to attend the burial of her baby.

The Free Andrea Rosal Movement also condemned the government's supposed treatment of Rosal.

"We are deeply saddened and at the same time enraged with the death of baby Diona Andrea which resulted from delayed and lack of medical attention due to this government's inhumane treatment of women and political prisoners,'' the group said.

''Clearly, the government and its agencies are directly responsible and accountable for baby Andrea's death. This ultimately underlines the government's utter disregard for life and human rights." -- with reports from Junry Hidalgo, DZMM